Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Taxi_Driver on 14 August 2008, 21:32:02
-
Approaching traffic lights today..
Heard sirens.......but couldnt see where they where coming from....
My hearing is not 100% and sometimes with sirens cannot tell the direction.....
I saw an Ambulance approaching the lights going opposite way to me....but no blues flashing....so double checked mirror to see if it was coming up behind me.....Nothing....But might have been coming left or right of the traffic lights.........couldnt see built up area....
Approached the lights and the ambulance coming towards me turned across the junction in front of me......he ran a red light........my side was green.....lucky i could stop in time!!
He didnt have his blue lights flashing!!.......Just sirens going......What a muppet!!........
If we did hit.......i think i would been in the right coz he ran a red light.......plus the fact he didnt have his blues flashing.......
Interested to see what H21 thinks of this :-/
-
My hearing isn't great and i really struggle with direction of sound too! I really rely on the visual flashing lights and would have struggled in the same situation.
-
I think they never have right of way when breaking rules of the road.
It is just assumed you will try and keep out their way.
-
Even with his blues flashing I believe you would "technically" be in the right... I think they jump lights at their own discretion... :-/ :-/
[edit]Must type faster ::) ::) ::)[/edit]
-
I think they never have right of way when breaking rules of the road.
It is just assumed you will try and keep out their way.
They have to abide by the rules, regs and laws of the road too. As you say it's assumed we will move out of the way to assist.
-
I may be wrong, but I believe ambulance drivers don't have the advanced driver training that the police and firemen have.
-
Didn't this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7542919.stm) just go to court? I can't now find the case, but I'm sure they prosecuted him.
-
My hearing isn't great and i really struggle with direction of sound too! I really rely on the visual flashing lights and would have struggled in the same situation.
Wasn`t there a 'special' type of directional-wailer tried on emergency vehicles a couple of years ago; it contained tones/cadences giving clues to speed and direction to help people with hearing difficulties.......did it work?
-
In the states if the sirens are on and you aren't stopped you are automatically at fault if you have an accident with an emergency vehicle. If you hear sirens, don't enter the intersection!
OTOH, I was in Manchester last week and a police van turned on its siren as we were both 10' from the intersection. I went full ABS to miss him. Moron! >:(
-
I think they never have right of way when breaking rules of the road.
It is just assumed you will try and keep out their way.
[/highlight]
But be very careful! If, for example, you are waiting at a red light and pull aside over the line to make way, you can technically be prosecuted for running a red light. I believe there have been cases were this has actually been carried out; (camera evidence etc).
-
I think they never have right of way when breaking rules of the road.
It is just assumed you will try and keep out their way.
[/highlight]
But be very careful! If, for example, you are waiting at a red light and pull aside over the line to make way, you can technically be prosecuted for running a red light. I believe there have been cases were this has actually been carried out; (camera evidence etc).
Bar stewards
-
.....
But be very careful! If, for example, you are waiting at a red light and pull aside over the line to make way, you can technically be prosecuted for running a red light. I believe there have been cases were this has actually been carried out; (camera evidence etc).
That happened in Bury a few months back. The driver of the car that 'jumped' the light didn't just through far enough for the copper to pass through. Like a muppet he just carried on his way & was charged.
-
In the states if the sirens are on and you aren't stopped you are automatically at fault if you have an accident with an emergency vehicle. If you hear sirens, don't enter the intersection! .....
Somehow I can't imagine how you could miss the US 'fire trucks'. I saw one in the fesh for the first time the other year. THEY'RE MASSIVE!!!!!
-
Wasn`t there a 'special' type of directional-wailer tried on emergency vehicles a couple of years ago; it contained tones/cadences giving clues to speed and direction to help people with hearing difficulties.......did it work?
'White Noise Siren' still used a bit, but was never really rolled out country wide, not sure why
-
I may be wrong, but I believe ambulance drivers don't have the advanced driver training that the police and firemen have.
they still have to do a blue lights course, but not the advanced and aggressive driving courses.
-
Being a firefighter and i have completed the EFAD course you can go through red lights "slowly and carefully" ....but if anything happens i belive the driver is at fault ....mind you its a few years since i done my EFAD but that was what they instructed then ... laws might have changed by now :-/
-
I may be wrong, but I believe ambulance drivers don't have the advanced driver training that the police and firemen have.
they still have to do a blue lights course, but not the advanced and aggressive driving courses.
The driver of this ambulance would have failed that course then, as he didnt have them turned on!
-
Well. if your going to crash into something, then an Ambulance is probably the best thing to hit ::)
-
I may be wrong, but I believe ambulance drivers don't have the advanced driver training that the police and firemen have.
going off my experience last week of a c*ck trying to turn across the front of me in his ambulance while not on an emergency call, and i was driving my brother's lexus at the time and had to swerve to avoid him, i really dont think they even have to pass a standard driving test!! >:(
Well. if your going to crash into something, then an Ambulance is probably the best thing to hit ::)
but if you hit him cos of his incompitent driving, his life-saving skills may be nothing to brag about!
-
I may be wrong, but I believe ambulance drivers don't have the advanced driver training that the police and firemen have.
going off my experience last week of a c*ck trying to turn across the front of me in his ambulance while not on an emergency call, and i was driving my brother's lexus at the time and had to swerve to avoid him, i really dont think they even have to pass a standard driving test!! >:(
That reminds me, during the same week down by Milton Keynes a Vectra estate with Ambulance written on it purposefully cut me off! It was in a roundabout with traffic backed up. He thought I was trying to go around him when I was taking the other exit - TO GET ON THE M1! Friggin Fukwit! >:( >:(
I was tempted to pull over on the slip road, walk back up there, bang on his window, get his badge/id info and make a formal complaint.
-
Why is it that ambulance driver and other emergency vehicles NOT on emergency duty think they can use bus lanes in London, fare enough if they are on a blue light emergency run but if they are not, if I drive in a bus lane in London I get a £120 fine for the privilage
-
My hearing isn't great and i really struggle with direction of sound too! I really rely on the visual flashing lights and would have struggled in the same situation.
Wasn`t there a 'special' type of directional-wailer tried on emergency vehicles a couple of years ago; it contained tones/cadences giving clues to speed and direction to help people with hearing difficulties.......did it work?
I was gonna say...most people find it hard to pinpoint the position of the emergency vehicle due to the doppler effect of the siren.
-
Wasn`t there a 'special' type of directional-wailer tried on emergency vehicles a couple of years ago; it contained tones/cadences giving clues to speed and direction to help people with hearing difficulties.......did it work?
'White Noise Siren' still used a bit, but was never really rolled out country wide, not sure why
When I was a student in Sheffield I cycled everywhere, one day going up West street I heard this new type of siren reaaly close behind so I pulled right over straight away, turned to look for the ambulance expecting it to whizz past me as I turned only to spot the ambulance a few hundred meters away! It was unreal!
-
To not have his blue lights on is disgusting. How does he expect deaf drivers to know what's going on? My dad is hard of hearing and won't hear a siren full stop.
.. and AFAIK, for emergency vehicles some provisions of the road traffic act have a blind eye turned - as long as they're very careful to make sure they stay safe. They remain entirely responsible should an accident occur.
But Theo's comment does make me realise why, when I was in the US this week and a police car came up the road on blues and twos, all the traffic endfed up on the pavement sidewalk out of his way. (but not mine - who'd be a pedestrian there!)
Kevin
-
My hearing isn't great and i really struggle with direction of sound too! I really rely on the visual flashing lights and would have struggled in the same situation.
Wasn`t there a 'special' type of directional-wailer tried on emergency vehicles a couple of years ago; it contained tones/cadences giving clues to speed and direction to help people with hearing difficulties.......did it work?
I was gonna say...most people find it hard to pinpoint the position of the emergency vehicle due to the doppler effect of the siren.
The ambos here all have white noise generators -- and they ARE very effective --- problem is they have their own switch and the driver has to toggle in on and off while driving!!!! The note of the siren also changes .... two tones for straight runs and whelp & wail with white noise at intersections.